Continuous formation of center filled gum

ABSTRACT

Method and system for continuously producing pieces of liquid-filled gum material. An extruded rope of liquid-filed gum is sized and separated into individual pieces of gum. A rotating drum mechanism having a die ring and cutter ring with mating die members separate the rope of gum material into individual pieces. Pairs of cam-operated plunger members compress and form the pieces of gum material in the die cavities. Angled grooves in the die members prevent portions of the gum pieces from being chipped-off during formation. Guide pin members are positioned between rider members on the plunger members. A feed chute with air assist transfers the gum rope from a sizing table to the rotating drum mechanism. A stripper member insures that the formed pieces of gum material are removed from the drum mechanism. Portions of the drum mechanism can be selective heated and cooled, or not cooled at all. The invention provides a more efficient system for continuous, high production operation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/656,820, filed on Sep. 7, 2000, which issued on Oct. 29, 2002, asU.S. Pat. No. 6,472,001.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Method, system, and apparatus for continuously forming center-filledgum, particularly for continuously forming individual sealed pieces ofliquid-filled gum from a continuous rope or strand.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Liquid or center filled gum and other confectionery products are inpopular demand today. These products have a hard or solid exteriorportion or shell and a soft or liquid center. The outer portion can bechewing gum or bubble gum of some type, while the liquid center portioncan be a flavored material typically having a syrup-like consistency.

There are numerous mechanisms and systems known today for formingliquid-filled gum and other confectionery products. One of these systemsis shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,963 to Graff et al.Although many of these known mechanisms and processes operatesatisfactorily and produce acceptable results, there are a number ofmechanical and processing concerns which need improvement. Inparticular, there is a need for faster, high volume systems as well assystems which are more efficient, easier to operate, and have fewermechanical breakdowns.

One of the difficulties in the art of gum manufacturing is the fact thatthe gum products are tacky and have a tendency to stick or adhere tomolds and operating machinery. Thus, it is recognized that gum producingmechanisms need to be operated at low temperatures, such as minus onehundred degrees Fahrenheit (−100° F.). At these low temperatures,however, the costs of operation increase and the operation of machinerybecome more difficult. For example, oils and greases can congeal intonon-fluid masses, thereby reducing the lubricating ability of thematerials and causing increased friction of moving parts. This alsocauses additional heat load on the moving parts resulting in lessefficient high-speed operation.

It is also necessary with some known low-temperature gum formingoperations to cool virtually the entire machinery, including all of therotating parts. This is particularly true with systems which utilizerotating piece-producing drum members wherein the products are incontact with the drum members virtually the entire circumference of thedrum. Cooling in these systems is typically done with super cooled airor gas to provide the necessary low temperatures. Cooling all parts ofthe apparatus, however, creates significant additional expense, as wellas further mechanical and friction difficulties in the operation of themachinery.

It has also been known to be problems with rotating gum formingequipment to effectively feed a rope or strand of gum material into therotating machinery and to insure that all of the formed pieces of gummaterial are removed or stripped from the rotating machinery. It is alsoknown that rotating gum forming machinery often “chips” or clips offpieces of the individual gum pieces as they are formed. This createsunnecessary waste of material and, if the material has a liquid portion,can result in “leakers” which can cause stoppage and/or breakdowns ofthe machinery, as well as undesirable final products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved mechanismsand systems for producing center-filled gum products. It is also anobject of the present invention to provide improved systems forcontinuously producing pieces of center-filled gum from continuous ropesor strands of gum material.

It is a further object of the present invention to produce rotating gumforming mechanisms and systems which prevent the undesirable removal ofsmall portions of the gum products as they are formed.

It is a still further object of the present invention to providecontinuous gum manufacturing mechanisms and systems in which it isunnecessary to cool any or all of the various components of themachinery, and in fact where portions of the machinery can be heated toimprove performance. It is another object of the present invention toprovide improved gum manufacturing mechanisms and systems which producescenter-filled gum products on a faster and more efficient basis.

It is still another object of the present invention to providecontinuous gum forming mechanisms and systems in which ropes or strandsof gum material are fed into the systems in a faster and more efficientmanner. It is a still further object of the present invention to providemechanisms to insure removal and/or stripping of formed gum materialfrom continuous gum forming mechanisms and systems.

Other objects of the present invention include providing improvedmethods of producing center-filled gum products from continuous ropes orstrands of gum material, such methods including steps such as reducingthe tackiness of the gum material, providing optimum registry of the diecavities and matrix ring, and/or providing improved stabilization ofplunger members.

These and other objects are met by the unique and inventive gum formingmechanisms, systems and methods in accordance with the presentinvention. The systems include extrusion and gum forming mechanisms withrotating drum members which produce center-filled gum pieces on afaster, more efficient and less costly basis.

The gum forming mechanisms include sizing and transport tables whichconvey sized ropes of gum material to the rotating drum mechanisms. Therotating drum mechanisms have rotating matrix die rings and rotatingcutter rings, both with mating die halves which together form completemolds or dies which separate, shape, and form the gum pieces. A seriesof cam-operated plunger members are positioned in the drum mechanism onopposite sides of the die members in order to help shape and form theindividual pieces of gum. In accordance with one feature of the presentinvention, axial movement of the plunger members is stabilized byflat-sided rail members positioned adjacent guide members.

The die halve members in the rotating cutter ring have slanted or angledsurfaces relative to the longitudinal direction of the die cavities inorder to prevent slicing or chipping of small portions of the gumproducts as the plunger members form the gum products in the mating diesand transfer them to the matrix ring. The curved surfaces in the cutterring are slanted on compound angles to create optimum registry with thedie cavities in the matrix ring.

Also, an air-assist feed chute is provided which utilizes streams ofpressurized air to transfer the gum rope from the sizing table to therotating drum member. A stripper mechanism is positioned to insureremoval of the formed gum products as they are ejected from the dies andmatrix ring.

Portions of the gum forming mechanisms and systems can be selectivelyheated or cooled to improve the efficiency and performance of themachinery and system. The sizing rollers and gum forming can be cooledby use of a cooled gas. The mechanism which rotates the drum members andoperates the cams and plungers members can be heated (or at least notcooled) in order to improve efficiency and performance.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, it ispossible to produce the center-filled gum products with minimal or nocooling, preferably by spraying the gum material with an oil oroil-based material. The punch faces can also be sprayed with an oil oroil-based material to reduce the tendency of the gum material to stickto them. The punch heads can also be modified to provide more clearancewith the matrix and cutting rings.

With the present invention, liquid-filled pieces of gum are formed in afaster and more efficient manner than with known processes and systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a continuous center-filled gum formingsystem in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the center-filled gum materialshown in FIG. 1, the cross-section being taken along lines 1A—1Athereof;

FIG. 2 depicts a gum forming mechanism in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view up of a portion of the gum forming mechanismin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates another portion of the gum forming mechanism inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the rotating matrix die ring andcutter ring in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the die groove members and cam-operatedplunger members forming pieces of gum material in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic partial cross-sectional views showingformation of the gum products in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 7A—7A in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the cutter ring showing thedie halves with slanted wall surfaces;

FIG. 9A is an end view of one of the cutter ring grooves shown in FIG.9;

FIG. 10 is another schematic illustration of the rotating matrix diering and cutter ring, along with the stripper mechanism;

FIG. 11 illustrates a stripper mechanism in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 illustrates an alternate stripper mechanism in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 13 is another schematic illustration of the rotating matrix diering and cutter ring, along with the feed chute;

FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 are various views of a feed chute in accordance withthe present invention, with FIG. 14 being a side view, FIG. 15 being atop view and FIG. 16 being a bottom view;

FIG. 17 schematically illustrates a cutter ring and matrix die ring inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 18 is an elongated view of portions of the cutter ring and matrixring;

FIGS. 19 and 20 are cross-section views of the cutter ring and matrixring during formation of an individual gum product;

FIG. 21 is an elevational view of the cutter ring and matrix ringshowing registration thereof in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 22 is an elongated schematic view of a portion of the cutter ringin accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 23A and 23B together show a cross-section of a gum formingmechanism in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 24-26 illustrate preferred punch guide members and guide rails inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

FIG. 1 shows an extrusion machine 20 and a gum forming mechanism 22. Theextrusion machine 20 can be of any conventional type and includes aliquid filling mechanism 24. The liquid filling mechanism is utilized toinsert a stream of liquid material in the center of the gum 25 as it isbeing formed and extruded by the extrusion machine. Mechanisms to formcenter-fill gum and other confectionery products are known in the artand no further description is required here.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the gum material 25 is extruded in a continuousrope or strand having a generally circular cross-section. The gummaterial 25 includes an outer core or shell 26 of chewing gum or bubblegum material and an inner core 28 of a liquid or softer material. Inthis regard, centers of liquid filled gum products are flavored andtypically have a liquid or a syrup-like consistency.

The rope of gum material 25 is conveyed to the gum forming mechanism 22in any standard manner. If the extruder 20 and forming mechanism 22 arepositioned immediately adjacent one another, the strand of rope 25 cansimply be directly inserted into the forming mechanism 22 (as shown). Aconventional conveyor mechanism (not shown) could also be utilized.

Once the pieces of formed gum material 50 are formed by the formingmechanism 22, they are transported by a conveyor mechanism 28 to acooling tunnel or mechanism 30. The formed and cooled pieces of materialwhich exit the cooling mechanism 30 then can be processed in anyconventional manner. For example, the products can be fed directly to apackaging mechanism or system where the pieces of material are wrappedand placed into shipping boxes or containers. Alternatively, theproducts could be transported to a cooled room or staging area forfurther cooling or storage prior to packaging.

As shown in FIG. 2, the gum forming mechanism 22 comprises a gumtransport section 32, together with a piece-forming section 34consisting of a rotating drum mechanism 40 which continuously formspieces of liquid-filled gum 50.

The gum transport section 32 includes a table member 36 and a controlpanel 38, as also shown in FIG. 3. The table member 36 has a feedingmechanism 42 positioned at one end and a series of pairs of rollermembers 44A, 44B, 44C, 44D, and 44E positioned along the surface of thetable. The rope of gum material 25 is pulled gently along the table 36,first by the roller members 44A-44E, then by the feed chute member 60(described below), and then by the rotating drum mechanism 40 once theprocess is in full operation. The sets or pairs of roller members 44A,44B, 44C, and 44D assist in sizing and transporting the gum rope 25along the top of the table member 36. The final set of roller members44E at the end of section 32 are used to guide the rope of gum materialinto the feed chute member 60 and the individual piece forming section34.

The feeding mechanism 42 includes a cone-shaped forming die 43 whichreduces the size of the rope 25 from several inches in diameter as itleaves the extruder 20 to a smaller diameter depending on the materialas it enters the forming and sizing portion of the table member 36. Theforming die 43 can be heated slightly by a heater mechanism 39 in orderto maintain it at an appropriate temperature for both squeezing the gummaterial and at the same time allowing it to pass easily through thedie.

A rope thickness sensor 41 is positioned above the table member 36 anddirected to measure the size (diameter) of the rope of gum material 25as it exits the reducing die 43. The sensor can be of any conventionaltype, but preferably is an ultrasonic sensor. The measurements taken bythe sensor 41 are fed into the control panel 38 and the speed of travelof the rope 25 on the table member 36 is adjusted accordingly in orderto provide the proper size, diameter and amount of gum material enteringthe forming dies. The rope of gum material is reduced approximately50-75% in size (diameter) from the time it is extruded from the extruder20 to the time it enters the piece forming section 34. For example, areduction from 4.5 inches to 1.5 inches is typical.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rope of gum material is preferably notstretched tightly along the top of the table member 36. Instead, therope of gum material is conveyed along the transport section 32 at aconsistent speed and has a slackened section 25′ prior to entering thepiece forming section 34.

The slackened portion 25′ of the rope material is positioned on anangled platform 33 and constantly measured by a sensor arm 37. Theangled platform insures that the curve of the slackened portion 25′ isdirected in a certain direction (helped by gravity). The sensor arm 37has a plurality of sensor members which provide an indication of thedirection and amount of bend or slack 25′ in the gum rope 25. The dataread by the sensors is fed into the control panel 38. If the slack inthe gum rope is too large or too small, the speed of travel of the gumrope on the table member is adjusted accordingly.

Preferably, the main transport portion of the section 32 is kept at areduced temperature in order to prevent the gum material from stickingto the roller members. For this purpose, cooled air or gas is directedtoward the roller members from tubular members 47 connected to a sourceof cooled air 49. Tubular members are positioned along both sides of theroller members. Individual nozzles 47A direct cooling air directly atthe surface of each roller to maintain it at a prespecified temperature.The temperature of the roller members 44A-44E on the table member 36 istypically maintained below −90° F., although the actual temperature willvary with the material and production rate. In order to control costs ofmanufacture, the temperature should be just cold enough to supportproduction. If necessary, a housing member (not shown) could bepositioned over the roller members in order to help maintain the overalltemperatures of the rollers at a prespecified temperature or within aprespecified temperature range.

The gum forming mechanism 22 is positioned on a series of supportsand/or leg members, such as members 27, and also includes a cover orhousing member 48 which is adapted to slide over and enclose therotating drum mechanism 40—both for operator safety and for maintenanceof certain operating temperatures of the gum forming mechanisms. Windows52 in the cover member 48 can be provided to allow the operator tovisually inspect the piece forming operation.

The rotating drum mechanism 40 has a rotating drum member 61 positionedin a pair of stationary drum housings 62 and 64 (see FIGS. 3 and 4).Housing member 62 is attached to the gum forming mechanism 22 andencloses a first portion of the rotating drum member 61. The housingmember 64 is attached to the end of a stationary shaft member 68centrally positioned inside the drum member 61. The housing member 64encloses a second portion of the rotating drum member. A gap 66 is leftbetween the two housing portions 62 and 64. A rotating spindle member(not shown) operated by the gum forming mechanism 22 is positionedaround the stationary shaft member and is connected to the drum member61 and rotates it relative to the housing portions 62 and 64.

In order to increase the life of the bearings and other portions of therotating spindle member relative to the stationary member and allow thedrum member 61 to freely rotate without undesirable friction whenportions or all of the drum mechanism is cooled, a heater member 70,such as a cartridge heater, can be positioned inside the stationaryspindle member 68 (see FIG. 2). In order to monitor the temperature ofthe cartridge heater 70, a thermocouple 72 or the like is alsopositioned in the stationary spindle member 68. For this purpose,elongated channels or passageways are formed longitudinally in thespindle member 68 for positioning of the cartridge heater member 70 andthermocouple 72. The heater member 70 allows the bearings, rotatingcomponents and lubrication therefor relative to rotation of the drummember 61 to be kept at an appropriate operating temperature and not beoverly cooled which could adversely affect efficiency and outputperformance. Keeping the operating members at normal operatingtemperatures also results in less breakdowns and repair of the rotatingand moving mechanisms. The components also have increased durability andlife, resulting in less tooling, maintenance and repair costs.

The drum member 61 includes a first plurality of cam operated plungermembers 80 and a second plurality of cam operated plunger members 82(see FIG. 6). The plunger members are positioned on opposite sides of adie matrix ring 83 which has a plurality of die halves 84 around itsouter periphery. The cam operated plunger members 80 and 82, as well asthe die ring 83, have a common center along with the drum member 60relative to the central shaft member 68.

A cutter ring member 90 is provided on the outside of the die ring 83and is adapted to rotate in the same direction. The cutter ring member90 is supported by a three guide rollers 91, 92 and 93 and has aplurality of mating die halve members 95 around its inner periphery. Oneor more of the guide roller members (e.g. roller member 92) aretensioned in order to hold the cutter ring member in position and torotate with the die ring member 82 and drum member 61. Once the gumforming system is in operation and the rope of gum material is beingpulled and rotated around the rotating die member 61 and die ring member82, the cutting ring will rotate along with them and at the same speed.

The die halve members 84 on the die ring member 83 and the die halvemembers 95 on the cutter ring member 90 mate together to form dies ormolds for formation of the individual pieces of gum products. As shownin FIG. 5, the rope of gum material 25 is inserted into the converginggap 96 between the matrix die ring and cutter ring and cut intoindividuals pieces at the area or portion 98 where the two matingsemi-circular die groove members come together forming circular dies.Thereafter, the cut pieces of gum material 50 are held in place andcompressed by the cam operated plunger members 80 and 82, as describedbelow, as the individual pieces continue their rotation around the diering member until they are stripped or removed therefrom and fall into aconveyor member 28 for transport to the cooling mechanism 30.

As shown in the drawings, the die halves can have semi-circular groovesresulting in the formation of circular (cylindrical) die molds forsimilarly shaped product. It is understood, however, that the die halvescan have any shape depending on the desired shape of the final products.The outer ends or edges of the semi-circular die half members 84 and 95meet or make contact in order to provide an effective mechanism forcutting and separating the rope of gum material into individual pieces.

A schematic view of the plunger members 80 and 82, the die members, andthe cam mechanisms used to operate the plunger members, as well as theformation of the individual pieces of gum material, are set forth inFIG. 6. FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the operation of thesemechanisms in a planar view for ease of reference.

As shown in FIG. 6, the series of plunger members 82 comprise individualrod members 100 and punch heads 102. The rod members are positioned incorresponding holes or openings 103 and 104 in support rings 105 and106, respectively. Rider members 108 ensure that the plunger membersmove longitudinally only within a certain length of travel. The ridermembers are affixed to rod members 100.

The plunger members 82 are moved longitudinally by a tension mechanism110, such as an air bladder, which is positioned along the outer surfaceof the drum member 60 (see FIG. 3). Air pressure within the member 110can be adjusted, as desired, in order to affect the movement andfunctioning of the plunger members. In this regard, as shown in FIG. 6,the tension mechanism 110 moves the plunger members 82 longitudinally asthe cam members 112 ride along the outer surface of the member 110 inthe sequence illustrated.

The operation, movement and structure of the plunger members 80 issimilar to plunger members 82, although a conventional pressure rollermechanism is used to operate the longitudinal movement of the plungermembers 80. The pressure roller mechanism is schematically shown andreferred to by the reference numeral 114. Each of the plunger members 80includes a elongated rod member 116 and a punch head 118. The rodmembers 116 are positioned and guided through openings 119 and 120 insupport ring members 121 and 122. Each of the plunger members 80 have acam follower member 124 at its outer end. The cam follower members arepositioned in slot 126 formed by outer and inner cams 270 and 271 andoperate in conjunction with pressure roller 114. Again, similar to theplunger members 82, the plunger members 80 move longitudinally in thesequence illustrated in FIG. 6.

When FIGS. 5 and 6 are viewed together, the sequential formation of theindividual gum pieces 50 from the gum rope 25 is illustrated. As the gumrope 25 enters the cutting section 98 where the die members 84 and 95come together, the plunger members 80 and 82 are positioned such thatthe punch beads 102 and 118 are not in contact with the matrix die ring,cutter ring member, or gum material. As the gum material moves along theouter peripheral or circumference of the die ring member and thus fromthe right to left direction in FIG. 6 (and counter-clockwise in FIG. 5),the plunger members 80 are activated by the outer cam member 270 and actto move the cut-off pieces of gum material from the die members intoopenings in a matrix ring 130. The matrix ring 130 is attached to thedrum member 61 and is positioned immediately alongside the die ringmember. The matrix ring 130 has a series of die holes or openings 132substantially the same shape as the punch heads, as well as the finalformed gum process. This structure and sequence of steps is also shownin FIGS. 7 and 8.

The front surfaces 102A and 118A of the punch heads 102 and 118,respectively, have product shapes, such as the concave curved shapesshown in the drawings, in order to form outer surfaces on the pieces ofgum material 50. Many shapes could be used and logos added if desired,by changing the shape of the surfaces 102A and 118A.

The half die members 95 in the cutter ring member 90 have slantedsurfaces 95A in the longitudinal (axial) direction of the die halves.This is shown in FIGS. 9 and 9A, as well as FIGS. 7 and 8. The slantedsurfaces 95A in the die members allows the punch heads 118 of theplunger members 80 to easily and efficiently enter into the die groovemembers 95, pass entirely therethrough (as shown in FIG. 8), and movethe individual pieces of gum material 50 into the openings 132 in thematrix ring 130. The slanted surfaces also allow such process to takeplace at a higher rate of speed and without undesirable removal ofedge/corner portions (“chips” or “slices”) of the gum pieces. In thisregard, during the piece-forming process, both the die ring member 83and cutter ring member 90 are rotating with the die groove members 84and 95 coming together to pinch and cut the rope material intoindividual gum pieces and then separating or diverging (as better shownin FIG. 5). The slanted surfaces 95A in the die grooves of the cutterring member 90 prevent pinching of the edges or corners of the pieces ofgum material which forms small pieces or “chips” of material. Theformation of the chips creates a waste of gum material, and alsoprovides small pieces of gum material which can often cause difficultieswith subsequent operation of the machinery and/or formation ofacceptable final products.

The elimination of the small chips from the pieces of gum materials cansave up to 10-15% of waste or salvage material. Also, with center-filledgum products, the pinching and chipping could result in products withthin wall sections possibly allowing the liquid center material 28 toleak or be squeezed out of the pieces of gum material when they arecompressed together by the two plunger members forming the final shapeof the product. Leaking gum pieces (called “leakers”) are undesirablesince the leaked liquid material can cause problems in the operation ofthe machinery, as well as problems in the further transport andpackaging of the gum pieces. Leaking formed gum products are typicallyunacceptable for use as commercial products. The mess and inconvenienceto consumers in handling a leaking piece of center-filled gum areobvious.

Continuing with FIGS. 5 and 6, the two sets of plunger members 80 and 82come together in the matrix ring openings 132 to form the final size andwidth of the gum pieces 50. This section and position is indicated bythe reference numeral 140 in FIG. 6 and also shown in FIG. 8. Acombination of the pressure from the plunger members and the cooledtemperatures caused by the circulation of cooled air (as explainedbelow), sets and retains the pieces of gum material in their finalshapes. At this point, the pieces of gum material 50 are centered in theopenings 132 in the matrix ring member 130. Thereafter, the plungermembers 82 are withdrawn from the openings 132 and returned to theirrest positions as shown at 142. At the same time, the plunger members 80are extended further longitudinally (axially) such that the plunger orpunch heads 118 fully push the formed pieces of gum material 50 out ofthe openings 132 in the matrix ring 130. This is shown in the areaindicated by reference number 144 in FIGS. 5 and 6. At this point, thepieces of gum material 50 fall along support 150 and onto the conveyor28 for transport to the cooling mechanism 30. A stripper mechanism 160(as described in more detail below), is also provided at that point toinsure that the formed pieces of gum material are removed from the diering member 83 and thus do not continue to rotate with the die ringmember nor create problems with the formation of new gum pieces from thegum rope 25.

In the preferred embodiments, 35-80 pairs of plunger members areprovided. Each die member has a pair of plunger members associated withit, one on each side thereof and in axial alignment with it (and thuswith each other). The plunger members are normally biased to theretracted positions. The biased forces can be supplied by spring members99 on the elongated shaft members, although other equivalent biasingmechanisms could be utilized. As shown in FIG. 6, the spring members arepositioned between the support members and rider members.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 17-22.This embodiment can be utilized with all of the other features andaspects of the mechanism and system described above, or can be utilizedwith a system in which there is no cooling of the rotating drummechanism. In the latter system, a fine mist of a food grade oil or anoil-based material is sprayed on the die cavities and material engagingsurfaces of the punch heads before the rope of gum material makescontact with the die cavities. The oil temporarily reduces or eliminatesthe stickiness of the gum material and allows it to be cut and processedby the cutter ring, matrix ring and plunger members without the need tocool them with cooled air or nitrogen gas. In the alternative or inaddition, it is also possible to apply the oil material directly on therope of gum material.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 17-22 provides improvedformation of the individual pieces of gum material and reduces theamount of formed products which may leak. In accordance with thisembodiment, the flat surfaces or edges between the die cavities whichare used to cut the rope of gum material into separate pieces arewidened. This pinches the material in an improved manner at the edges ofthe pieces being formed and provides a better seal for encapsulating theliquid material in the center of the gum material.

Also, the semi-cylindrical surfaces of the die cavities on the cutterring are slanted at compound angles in the longitudinal (axial)direction of the die cavities. This provides a full piloting arrangementof the cutter ring die cavity with the matrix ring die cavity at thetime that the individual pieces of gum material are being moved into thecylindrical die cavities in the matrix ring.

In FIG. 17, the matrix ring 200 is shown schematically in operativeassociation with the cutter ring 210. As indicated above, the cutterring has a larger number of die cavities and punches (for example, 48 inone embodiment) than the matrix ring (for example, 38 in that sameembodiment). The die cavities 212 in the cutter ring arehalf-cylindrical in shape with surfaces slanted in the axial(longitudinal direction) of the full die cavities. The matrix ring 200has half-die cavity portions 202 for mating with the half-die cavities212 of the cutter ring along with full 360° die cavity portions 204. Thefull die cavities 204 are axially aligned with the half-die cavities202. Two plunger members 220 are also shown in FIG. 17. These are onlyrepresentative of the full series or set of plunger members which areutilized with the invention. Only two plunger members are shown for easeof viewing of the matrix and cutter rings.

As better shown in FIGS. 18 and 21-27, the surfaces 212A of the half diecavities 212 form a compound curved or compound angled surface in orderto create improved registry and mating with the half die cavities 202and the full die cavities 204 in the matrix ring. This provides wide andflatter surfaces 214 between the half-die cavities 212 in the cutterring 210 to mate with the wide, flat surfaces 206 between the half diecavities 202 in the matrix ring 200.

Plunger members 220 and opposed plunger members 230, as shown in FIGS.19 and 20, enter the die cavities in the matrix and cutter rings fromthe opposite direction. This is in the same manner and for the samepurpose as described above. The rope of liquid-filled gum material iscut into individual pieces 50 by the mating of the two half-die cavities202 and 212. The individual pieces of gum material 50 are then pushedinto the full die cavities 204 in the matrix ring by cam members wherethey are squeezed and formed into final shape by the punch heads 222 and232.

As shown in FIGS. 18-20, as well as FIGS. 23A and 23B, the punch headsare formed with beveled or chamfered relief areas 224 and 234. Theseareas provide clearance for the punch heads when they are inserted andremoved from the die cavities as the matrix and cutter rings arerotating and coming together and then separating.

As indicated above, the wide, flat surfaces 206 and 214 can pinch thegum material in an improved manner on the edges of the individual piecesas they are being cut and formed. This provides a better seal of the gummaterial around the inner liquid material and thus reduces or minimizesthe amount of leaking products which are formed with the presentinvention.

Even though a nitrogen-free gum forming system can be utilized with thepresent invention, the rope of gum material and feed rollers are cooledin the gum transport section preceding the drum mechanism, and insubsequent processing sections and systems. The rope of gum material isalso preferably cooled as it exits the extruder and as it passes throughthe sizing die.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gummaterial used for the rope of liquid-filled gum material is subjected totwo extrusion procedures. In the first procedure, the gum material ismanufactured and extruded in flat sheets of material where it isuniformly coded. Thereafter, the material is introduced into a secondextruder which reshapes it into a rope of material.

Also, it is possible to spray an oil mist or other non-toxic and ediblelubricant on the front gum-engaging faces or surfaces of the punch headsin order to further minimize and prevent sticking of the gum products inthe inventive mechanism. The front faces of the punch heads could alsobe coated with Teflon or another conventional non-stick coating for thesame purpose.

With a drum mechanism having thirty-eight die cavities in the matrixring and forty-eight die cavities in the cutter ring, it is preferableto have at least 4 locations where a full registry alignment between thetwo half-die cavities is maintained. The precise number will depend onthe actual number of die cavities provided in the matrix and cutterrings.

If desired, in order to provide plunger members, cam members and otheroperating members having better durability and wear, the members can beheat treated or made from a more durable material, such as stainlesssteel.

FIGS. 24-26 illustrate a preferred system for stabilizing and guidingthe plunger members in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 24 isan elevational view of a drum member 64′ showing a series of ridermembers 250 which are attached to and used to support and guide theindividual plunger members 230. (The plunger members 230 are not shownin FIGS. 24-26 for ease of viewing the rider and guide rail members, butare shown in FIGS. 23A-23B.) A circular array of rider members 250 arepositioned on drum member 64′. The rod members 240 of the plungermembers 230 are positioned in bores 242 in the rider members. The ridermembers are secured to the plunger members by pins (not shown)positioned in bores 252 in the rider members and holes 254 in theplunger members. Guide pin members 260 are positioned in-between each ofthe rider members 250. The elongated guide pin members 260 are generallycircular in cross-section with two flat surfaces 262, 264 generallyopposed to each other. The flat surfaces 262, 264 are in contact withthe sides of the rider members 250 and guide and stabilize the ridermembers. This allows the plunger members to reciprocate smoothly andaccurately relative to the die cavities.

The stripper member 160 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 10 and 11. Thestripper member 160 has a stripper finger 162, preferably made of aplastic material, attached to a curved body member 164 which in turn isattached to a base or plate member 166. The curvature of the body memberallows placement of the stripper member closely around the drum member60. The body member 164 is preferably hollow and has a plurality ofopenings 168 for supply of cooled air to the die members. The cooled airis supplied through inlet 170 and passes into a chamber (not shown) inthe body 164 where it is allowed to exit from openings 168. The cooledair ejected from openings 168 is directed against the two sets of diemembers 84 and 95 in order to keep their surfaces at a low temperatureand prevent sticking of the gum material.

As shown in FIG. 10, the stripper member 160 is positioned such that thestripper finger 162 is positioned with its pointed end 163 immediatelyadjacent outside the openings 132 in the matrix ring 130 and thecorresponding die members in the die ring 83. The stripper finger 162insures that any formed pieces of gum material 50 which do not fall bygravity from the rotating drum member 60 are physically removed beforethey can interfere with formation of additional pieces of material fromthe gum rope 25.

The base or plate member 166 of the stripper member 160 is attached tothe die forming mechanism 22 by one or more support bracket members 169(see FIG. 4). For convenience in showing the stripper member 160 in FIG.10, the feed chute member 60 is only partially illustrated. (Likewise,in FIG. 13, the stripper member 160 is only partially shown in order toallow full viewing of the feed chute member 60).

An alternate embodiment 160′ of the stripper member is shown in FIG. 12.In this embodiment, the stripper member includes a stripper finger 162and a tubular member 172 which has a plurality of openings 174 thereinfor ejection of cooled air. The stripper member of 160′ can be attachedto the die forming mechanism 22 in any conventional manner.

The feed chute member 60 is particularly shown in FIGS. 13-16. FIG. 13shows the location of installation of the feed chute member relative tothe rotating die ring and cutter ring members, while FIGS. 14, 15 and 16are side, top and bottom views, respectively, of the preferred feedchute member.

The feed chute member 60 provides conveyance of the rope of gum material25 from the forming and sizing table section 36 to the individual pieceforming section on the drum member 60 in the system. Without the feedchute member 60, conveying the end of the extruded rope member 25 andinserting it into position between the diverging die half members on thedie ring and cutter ring members would be difficult and time consuming.The feed chute member 60 includes an elongated housing member 182, acurved diverter plate 150 and a pair of curved guide members 183 and184. The feed chute member 60 is positioned relative to the die ringmember 82 and cutter ring member 90 as shown in FIG. 13. The housingmember 182 is attached to the sizing and support table 36 by aconventional bracket member 186 or the like. A support plate 188supports the curved diverter or deflector plate member 150 and holds theplate member 150 securely to the housing member 182 of the feed chutemember 60.

The rope of gum material 25 is pulled and assisted through the feedchute member 60 by “jets” or streams of pressurized air. In this regard,pressurized air is introduced through openings 190 and 191 into oppositeinside walls of the housing member 182 which act to pull along the ropeof gum material 25 through the housing member 182. An additional streamor jet of air is directed along the bottom or underside of the rope ofgum material through conduit 192. The pressurized air from conduit 192“floats” and supports the rope of gum material 25 as it exits thehousing member 182 and is transported to the cutting area 98 between thesets of die members.

In order to maintain the die members 84 and 95 at a cooled temperaturein order to prevent the gum material from sticking to the die surfaces,cooled air is introduced and directed to the portion of the rotatingdrum member 60 in the gap 66 between the two portions or housing members62 and 64. For this purpose, a pair of plate members 200 and 202 areattached to the cover or housing member 48 (see FIG. 4). The platemembers are substantially parallel to one another and form a chamber orcavity 201 between them which opens along the die ring cutter ringmembers. The cavity 201 between the plate members 200 and 202 is filledby cooled air from conduit 204. The plate members have curved profilesadjacent the drum member 60 in order to closely align with it and directand guide the cooling air against the die members and prevent the cooledair from escaping and cooling other parts or portions of the drum memberand operating mechanism. The cooled air in chamber 201 is directedtowards die ring member 82, cutter ring member 90 and their respectivedie members.

The cooled air is preferably supplied at temperatures below −80° F. Theair can be supplied by conventional two-stage refrigerated compressedair mechanisms, although other systems can also be utilized, includingthe cooled gas systems.

At the same time that the gum cutting, shaping, and forming componentsof the rotating drum member are being cooled, other portions andcomponents of the system and mechanism are being heated or maintained athigher temperatures so that their efficiency and performance are notadversely affected. These components particularly include the plungermembers and cam mechanisms, together with their related movingcomponents. For this purpose, inlets 210 and 220 are provided on thedrum housing portions 62 and 64, respectively. The inlets 210 and 220allow ambient or heated air to be drawn or introduced into housingportions 62 and 64. The air is exhausted through outlets 240 and 242. Acompressor 230 can be used, if desired, to help circulate the air. Theblanket of warmer air supplied or formed in the two drum housingportions 62 and 64 helps maintain the cam followers and airbags atnormal temperatures.

The basic platform for use with the extruder mechanism 20 and gumforming mechanism 22 can be a typical candy forming machine manufacturedby Bosch, Hansella, Executive, Euromec, and others. The extruder 20 canbe of any conventional type. In the extrusion machine, previouslyprocessed gum material is introduced into hopper 21 and then into asingle or pair of rotating screw members which massage the gum materialand extrude it through a die in the form of a rope of gum material.

With the present invention, the speed of the gum forming machinery isincreased, thus resulting in an increased production of gum material. Asindicated, the preferred cooling material for use with the presentinvention is simply cooled air. With the present invention, however, theamount of cooling air or gas necessary to cool portions of the gumforming machinery and components is reduced, perhaps as much as 50%,from conventional rotating gum and candy forming systems. This is aresult of subjecting only a portion of the gum forming components to acooling process, while at the same time maintaining the temperature ofother components closer to their normal operating temperatures.

In accordance with the present invention, the plunger members 80 and 82are easier to lubricate. The operating temperatures of the plungermembers are not maintained as low as with known processes, and thus thedifficulties experienced with the setting or gelling of plungerlubrication (and thus problems with the resulting heat build-up andfriction forces) are not significant. For example, it is unnecessary toheat oil or other fluid utilized to lubricate the movement of theplunger members. Oil provided to the present mechanism at roomtemperature is sufficient. With increased and more effective lubricationof the plunger members and other operating mechanisms, the inventivemechanism and system is more durable and should have a longer life.

Also, with one embodiment of the present invention, cooling of the gumforming matrix and cutter rings is unnecessary.

The present invention provides a more efficient continuous manufacturingsystem for liquid or center-filled gum. Pieces of liquid-filled gummaterial are produced on a faster and more efficient process than withknown processes. In this regard, it is anticipated that the capacity ofthe present system will be approximately double over known systems andthat the system can be utilized without any additional labor expense.

The improved efficiencies of the present invention are due in part tothe ease of starting of the process, the reduction in waste of gummaterial, the fact that breakdowns and jams are fewer and easier toclear, the fact that the gum material has minimal contact with the metaland moving members, and the fact that cooling costs are greatly reduced.

Also, with the present invention, the gum material seals around theliquid center in a better manner. This provides a better quality productwith fewer leaking pieces of gum. This also results in fewer productionshut-downs and less maintenance.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur tothose skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the inventionbe limited only in terms of the appended claims.

1. A system for continuously producing pieces of liquid-filled gummaterial comprising: a rotating drum mechanism, said drum mechanismhaving a matrix ring member and a cutter ring member; said matrix ringmember having a first plurality of die half members; said cutter ringmember having a second plurality of die half members, one of said secondplurality of die half members mating with one of said first plurality ofdie half members to form circular die cavities as said drum mechanismrotates; said second plurality of die half members having productengaging surfaces which are slanted at a compound angle relative to thelongitudinal direction of said die cavities; each of said mating pairsof die half members having a pair of plunger members associatedtherewith for entering said mated die half members and compressingpieces of gum material positioned therein, and cam mechanisms foroperating said plunger members.
 2. The system as set forth in claim 1further comprising a feed chute means for introducing a rope of gummaterial into said first and second plurality of die half members. 3.The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said feed chute meansincludes the use of compressed air to assist in the movement of the ropeof gum material through the feed chute and into the rotating drummechanism.
 4. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprisingstripper means for assisting in the removal of pieces of formed gummaterial from said die groove members.
 5. The system as set forth inclaim 1 wherein each of said plunger members comprises an elongated rodmember and a punch head member, said punch head member having reliefareas thereon.
 6. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprisingrider members operatively associated with each of said plunger members.7. The system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising guide pinmembers positioned adjacent each of said rider members.
 8. An apparatusfor continuously producing pieces of liquid-filled gum material from arope of liquid-filled gum material comprising: a rotating drummechanism, said drum mechanism comprising a first plurality of diemembers positioned around the periphery of said drum mechanism, aplurality of plunger members positioned adjacent said first plurality ofdie members, and cam members for directing said plunger members intosaid die members for compressing said pieces of gum material; and arotating cutter ring mechanism, said cutter ring mechanism comprising asecond plurality of die members; said drum mechanism and said cutterring mechanism being positioned adjacent one another such that saidfirst plurality of die members and said second plurality of die membersmate to form product shaped die cavities; said second plurality of diemembers having product engaging surfaces which are slanted at a compoundangle relative to the longitudinal direction of said die cavities;wherein formation of chips of gum material from said pieces of gummaterial during compression is minimized.
 9. The apparatus as set forthin claim 8 further comprising a sizing mechanism for sizing said rope ofliquid-filled gum material prior to being introduced into said rotatingdrum mechanism.
 10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein saidplunger members are provided in pairs, one each on each end of saidfirst plurality of die members.
 11. The apparatus as set forth in claim8 further comprising rider members on said plunger members and guide pinmembers positioned between said rider members.
 12. The apparatus as setforth in claim 8 further comprising a feed chute mechanism forintroducing said rope of liquid-filled gum material into said rotatingdrum mechanism.
 13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8 comprising astripper mechanism for assisting in the removal of pieces of gummaterial from said rotating drum mechanism.
 14. The apparatus as setforth in claim 8 wherein each of said plunger members comprise elongatedrod members and punch head members, said punch head members havingrelief areas thereon.
 15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14 furthercomprising rider members operatively associated with each of saidplunger members.
 16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 furthercomprising guide pin members positioned adjacent each of said ridermembers.
 17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of saidguide pin members have two opposed elongated flat surfaces.